5th District Supervisor Race 2016: Noreen Evans vs Lynda Hopkins

I'm finding our current active discussion thread "What's with alll the Lynda Hopkins signs?" rather redundant these days, besides the discussion wandering way beyond the title, which I now notice is misspelled!

So I'd like to restart and refocus the discussion as we move into the heart of the campaign season.

There are a few topics/issues that have been discussed ad nauseum in the prior thread that I don't want to see in this thread unless it is new information that was not already discussed, namely:

1) Who moved to the district when and why.
2) Financial backers and endorsers (again new information is welcome here)
3) Noreen's past actions regarding SEIU pensions (I'm looking at you, Tom! )
(Am I forgetting anything?)

I'd like to see this thread be primarily focused on the candidates plans if elected along with any new developments in the race, including the debates (both coverage of the debates and the following discussion).

Posters that have not posted their opinion/preference/endorsement in the prior thread are welcome to post here. If you have already posted your opinion please don't repeat it here.

I particularly want to invite users who are undecided to post questions here.

If you post information/opinions that have been thoroughly discussed before, I'll move it to a companion thread in the WaccoTalk category.

Re: 5th District Supervisor Race 2016: Noreen Evans vs Lynda Hopkins

Since the other thread was closed, here is Noreen's response to the Hopkins video that was posted there.CLEAN IT UP!

Yesterday, my opponent released a bizarre, profanity-laced video in a deliberate attempt to mislead voters. This comes on the heels of her use of profanity in her introductory remarks at the SRJC Associated Student Body debate last week. We know her campaign manager videotaped her shocking remarks--where is that video on Facebook?

Enough with the juvenile behavior and unprofessional language – it’s time for my opponent to clean up her act and stop trying to mislead the voters. Read the facts and judge for yourself:

1) Although she wants voters to believe she’s supported by only one developer, Hopkins is the choice of the development industry. The North Bay Builders Exchange raised $15,000 for her campaign. (http://www.ncbeonline.com/uploads/BNews/Apr2016/BN_040416.pdf) The Sonoma County Alliance Political Action Committee, which is composed of developers, bankers, investors and others, has endorsed her and has contributed over $14,000. Who does she think she’s fooling?

2) She IS bankrolled by gravel miners – For decades we worked to stop Syar Industries from extracting gravel out of our Russian River. Now, Syar Industries has donated $7,500 to Hopkins, funneled through three shell companies, Green Tree Properties, J&D Company LLC and Yolano Engineers. Syar Industries funneled even more money to Hopkins through the Sonoma County Alliance PAC. This is the same tactic the Koch brothers use to hide their donations.

According to the PD, Hopkins’ “campaign has received nearly $12,000 from California Real Estate political action committee — the political fundraising arm of the California Association of Realtors, as well as the Santa Rosa Chamber of Commerce and the North Coast Builders Exchange, a construction trade group. Most of the groups have taken a stand against rent control policies.”

4) She DID Move to the 5th district last year and, until she announced her candidacy for 5th District Supervisor, was not publically active on any 5th District issue of note and has no record to run on- a perfect choice for those funding her campaign who seek to control the votes on the Board of Supervisors for their own special interests. They know that I’m an independent voice that will make decisions based on the best interests of the residents of the 5th District and will not be swayed by big money interests, as my 20 year record of public service has proven.

Enough is enough. My opponent needs to clean up her act and stop insulting the voters by hiding the truth.

Re: 5th District Supervisor Race 2016: Noreen Evans vs Lynda Hopkins

Um, people posted Lynda's weird video twice, you don't think it is fair to post a response? And how can you keep fundraising out of it. It is critically important to know who is funding which campaign. Also, there is more in this response than just fundraising.

Re: 5th District Supervisor Race 2016: Noreen Evans vs Lynda Hopkins

Hopkins video about "bull***t" was awful! So ugly and also, ironically, it contained so much of her own BS. She skirts right past her gravel mining ties as if it just doesn't matter. She glosses over the fat developer money she took, claiming that development is good for all of us!

First she was aw shucks mom on the farm, now she's attack video lady. I think she might be cracking...

We've seen this chameleon-like approach to politics somewhere else recently, right? A candidate for a relatively high office, with no experience in any office (hence, no record to measure or attack), with inherited wealth and privilege, no real work experience, backed by wealthy friends, claims to be the populist choice, while insisting that they will not do the bidding of their corporate sponsors once installed in office...

Re: Open Letter to Linda Hopkin$ and Her Bull***t

As Trump calls Hillary a "bigot", so Evans and her proxies react hysterically to Lynda Hopkins looking them in the eye and calling out their "bullshit". She's "profane", they declare. Yes, she actually had the temerity to use the word "bullshit" to describe Noreen's, well, bullshit. Bullshit being a word none of us has ever heard in common usage every single day of our lives. A word a Noreen supporter would never use in polite company. Lynda Hopkins' video wasn't about poo. It was about bullshit. And there is a difference.

Re: Open Letter to Linda Hopkin$ and Her Bull***t

As Trump calls Hillary a "bigot", so Evans and her proxies react hysterically to Lynda Hopkins looking them in the eye and calling out their "bullshit". ...

If anybody knows "bullshit," it would be Hopkins.

She claims that she has wide support here, but her money (both her personal wealth and her political funding) comes from the 4th district, not the 5th.

If you choose to vote for her because she puts on an adorable show and is willing to sling bullshit, that's your call.

If you own a vineyard or benefit in some way by gravel mining in the river, or hope to land a big development contract with the county, then I understand your loyalty to this woman.

But if you're going to suggest that either candidate resembles Trump, ask yourself which one has no actual work experience, no track record in local government to evaluate, the propensity to exaggerate her experience and qualifications, has inherited wealth, funding from many rich friends, and no concept of the middle class struggle to pay for school, save for a home, or build a career like most of us do, it's pretty clear which one it is. (It's "Bullshit" Hopkins.)

Candidates Video Debate Evans vs. Hopkins and an appreciation of both candidates

As part of our Informing to Empower mission, our non-profit media website, The Sonoma Independent, has revised our Candidates Video debate for 5th District County Supervisor to focus on Evans and Hopkins.

This is a very hard fought contest between two articulate, super intelligent and competent women. I have my own opinion, as some friends know, but for this post, I would like to leave it at this: I appreciate both Lynda Hopkins' bullshit video, and Noreen Evan's straightforward and feisty response above.

This is one of the most interesting races that I have ever witnessed. We, in West County, are privileged to have such formidable contenders to represent us for this important office.

Re: Candidates Video Debate Evans vs. Hopkins and an appreciation of both candidates

Who's paying for this one Jonathan?

Peacetown Jonathan wrote:

As part of our Informing to Empower mission, our non-profit media website, The Sonoma Independent, has revised our Candidates Video debate for 5th District County Supervisor to focus on Evans and Hopkins.

Re: 5th District Supervisor Race 2016: Noreen Evans vs Lynda Hopkins

At least Lynda didn't move from Rincon Valley to a Sebastopol apartment. Hopkins actually lived on a farm bordering the Fifth before they bought a house in Forestville.
The bullshit is getting thicker and thicker.

scamperwillow wrote:

... here is Noreen's response to the Hopkins video that was posted there.{snip}
4) She DID Move to the 5th district last year and, until she announced her candidacy for 5th District Supervisor, was not publically active on any 5th District issue of note and has no record to run on- a perfect choice for those funding her campaign who seek to control the votes on the Board of Supervisors for their own special interests. ....

Re: Candidates Video Debate Evans vs. Hopkins and an appreciation of both candidates

Who paid for the Sonoma Independent's Candidate's Video debate video editing work, and web page creation? The same person who has been the main financial supporter, and volunteer editor and main writer, of the parent Informing to Empower non-profit for more than a year now. Me. If anyone reading this would like to donate and help us, please click here.

I have also volunteered my time,and, when necessary, needed money, for the public interest advocacy work that I have been doing for the library campaign. And the attainable housing coalition. And the political advocacy to keep the hospital open and support an emergency room that benefits us all. And I want to add that we will all pay the same taxes as we do now whether or not the Sonoma West hospital stays open. I am continually amazed by critics like you, Dick, who believe we would be better off paying the same taxes to have it closed, instead of open to save the lives of our families and neighbors.

I do not have, or make, a lot of money, but I try to make it go as far as possible in working to advance issues that i believe are critical for our common good.

Now that i have answered your question, Dick, perhaps you can answer mine:

Re: 5th District Supervisor Race 2016: Noreen Evans vs Lynda Hopkins

"...So it seemed a little curious that Evans was holding a campaign fundraiser the other day at the home of Connie Codding, widow of Hugh Codding, the big Santa Rosa developer. Yes, that Hugh Codding — whose biggest and best-known development may be the shopping mall named after himself, Coddingtown, over on Guerneville Road, where drivers are always stuck in traffic. “Coddingtown” sounds like an amusement park, and in many ways it is, except some of us aren’t amused.

A fund-raiser at Codding’s house seemed curious, maybe even ironical, because Evans has been telling us for months that she’s the one who’s fighting big developers, unlike her wimpy opponent, Lynda Hopkins, who goes around taking their money and endorsements and talking about how we all need to “work together.”

If you’re running for supervisor in the Fifth District and have pledged to be the developer-fighting candidate, why would you be fund-raising in the Third District at the home of Connie Codding, widow of one of the biggest developers in Sonoma County history? I asked Evans. Isn’t that sending a mixed message?..."

Re: Candidates Video Debate Evans vs. Hopkins and an appreciation of both candidates

Oh yeah. You're the one who reported on how successful the business plan for the hospital would be while Dan Smith was on your board of directors and largest "contributor."
And then you spent a bunch of time deriding anyone who asked questions (like the publisher of Sonoma West Times & News).
Your analysis was wrong Jonathan. Are you ever going to set the record straight on that? (I didn't think so.)

Peacetown Jonathan wrote:

...I do not have, or make, a lot of money, but I try to make it go as far as possible in working to advance issues that i believe are critical for our common good.

Now that i have answered your question, Dick, perhaps you can answer mine:

Re: Candidates Video Debate Evans vs. Hopkins and an appreciation of both candidates

Dick wrote:

...Your analysis was wrong Jonathan. Are you ever going to set the record straight on that? (I didn't think so.)

"Dick", if you are going to continue to make such aggressive posts, you are going to need to supply your real name and a headshot and take responsibility for your comments. You've listed "Dick Fritter" as your "real name". That sure seems like a "nom de plume" (pen name) to me.

So are you willing to step up and take responsibility for your comments, like Jonathan does? (I didn't think so.)

Re: Candidates Video Debate Evans vs. Hopkins and an appreciation of both candidates

Peacetown Jonathan wrote:

As part of our Informing to Empower mission, our non-profit media website, The Sonoma Independent, has revised our Candidates Video debate for 5th District County Supervisor to focus on Evans and Hopkins.

1: What are the three top reasons why citizens should vote for you to be our next Supervisor?

2: Do you support a zoning and code variance for the creation, during the next 15 years, of up to 15,000 Auxiliary Dwelling Units to be rent controlled at under $900 per month?

3: Do you support an amendment to the upcoming Community Separator ballot initiative to allow the creation of small clusters of Community Land Trust homes cost controlled at under $200,000 per unit on 5% of the privately owned land near our cities?

4: Do you support a zoning variance to allow the creation of small clusters of Community Land Trust homes cost controlled at under $200,000 per unit on 1% of privately owned land currently zoned as rural residential or agricultural?

5: Do you support the current Initiative to ban GMO planting in Sonoma County?

6: Would you support a ban on Roundup and other glyphosate-related herbicides?

7: Would you support fluoridation for the County water system? Why or why not?

8: After developing one of the most successful composting systems in the country, Sonoma Compost was forced to close last year. What, if anything, would you have done differently than our current Supervisors to prevent its closing and what will you do in the future to reopen it?

9: Would you support the spending of about $1.2 million in General Funds to restore Monday hours to all branches of the Sonoma County Library system, which for the past five years have been closed Mondays for the first time in history due to a funding crisis?

10: Do you support the Dairyman winery project?

11: Do you believe we should have a “peace dividend” in the County’s prosecution of victimless marijuana crimes? Specifically, do you think people on parole who test positive for marijuana should be returned to County jail, as they are today?

12: Would you support a County funding contribution to assist the small community based Sonoma West Medical Center provide emergency room care to indigent patients?

Re: Candidates Video Debate Evans vs. Hopkins and an appreciation of both candidates

Touche Barry. And thanks for letting me know what "nom de plume" means.
Unfortunately, modesty prevents me from providing a headshot, so I will bid you a fond adieu (goodbye).
Good luck with your city council run Jonathan. I hope you win!
I'll miss riverosprey most.

Barry wrote:

"Dick," if you are going to continue to make such aggressive posts, you are going to need to supply your real name and a headshot and take responsibility for your comments. You've listed "Dick Fritter" as your "real name". That sure seems like a "nom de plume" (pen name) to me.

So are you willing to step up and take responsibility for your comments, like Jonathan does? (I didn't think so.)

Re: 5th District Supervisor Race 2016: Noreen Evans vs Lynda Hopkins

Tom, you are joking right? Everyone knows that Connie is Hugh's widow as it says right in the column. Connie was never a developer and to complain about Coddingtown is laughable - built so many years ago - it has nothing to do with our current situation.

riverosprey wrote:

If you’re running for supervisor in the Fifth District and have pledged to be the developer-fighting candidate, why would you be fund-raising in the Third District at the home of Connie Codding, widow of one of the biggest developers in Sonoma County history? I asked Evans. Isn’t that sending a mixed message?..."

Re: 5th District Supervisor Race 2016: Noreen Evans vs Lynda Hopkins

Nothing great about it. It's just the same old Robinson sarcasm. Hope he does equal opportunity, and points out Hopkins potty mouth video and and deep support from developers. By the way, Frank, Connie is not Hugh, but I'm not surprised given your loose interpretation. You must think Connie is like her Husband, obviously, because they were married, and the wife always parrots her husband, right?

"...So it seemed a little curious that Evans was holding a campaign fundraiser the other day at the home of Connie Codding, widow of Hugh Codding, the big Santa Rosa developer. Yes, that Hugh Codding — whose biggest and best-known development may be the shopping mall named after himself, Coddingtown, over on Guerneville Road, where drivers are always stuck in traffic. “Coddingtown” sounds like an amusement park, and in many ways it is, except some of us aren’t amused.

A fund-raiser at Codding’s house seemed curious, maybe even ironical, because Evans has been telling us for months that she’s the one who’s fighting big developers, unlike her wimpy opponent, Lynda Hopkins, who goes around taking their money and endorsements and talking about how we all need to “work together.”

If you’re running for supervisor in the Fifth District and have pledged to be the developer-fighting candidate, why would you be fund-raising in the Third District at the home of Connie Codding, widow of one of the biggest developers in Sonoma County history? I asked Evans. Isn’t that sending a mixed message?..."

Re: Candidates Video Debate Evans vs. Hopkins and an appreciation of both candidates

Top reasons why people should vote for one of these candidates? I thought the questions were good ones, however,
we ask our candidates about everything from dwelling units, to fluoridation, to GMO & Roundoup, BUT, not one question pertaining to Justice Services which 51% of our budget goes towards....And why the heck not. i have to wonder who came up with these dandy questions?? Maybe, because law enforcement is a subject that neither candidate wishes to come to terms with and the millions of dollars wasted away because of lawsuits brought against our dear Sheriff Freitas and his department of thugs. this guy has cost the county so much money and no one wants to take him on...not the BOS, not the DA or our other elected officials and certainly not these candidates. this is disappointing. When these lawsuits suck our resources because we have a law enforcement that the Board of Supervisors won't reign in, WE all suffer. and after they have paid out millions in lawsuits due to law enforcement misconduct, they don't admit ANY liability, that's the way the deal goes down. So, the end result is that there is NO "Accountability" . For example, the Board of Supervisors approved $350K simulator toy for the Sheriff. And, not ONE of them asked him Why did he need such a toy? I mean there was a simulator used (a borrowed one) for the Andy Lopez case in which they ONLY used it to prove Gelhaus needed to kill Andy. Yet, they did not use it to simulate what Andy was doing...it's only purpose is to vindicate law enforcement in critical incidents....why should WE pay for this stuff? It's the culture that must change -and until THAT changes, nothing else we spend our precious tax $$$ on will matter.
And, we can All just hope, like i'm sure the Candidates are doing- "Hoping" that the new Oversight guy is gonna fix things...but, this isn't going to happen...because he has NO Power. No subpoena power, no investigative power...therefore, he spins his wheels- and that's the way it is. And, by the way, this dandy office of Oversight, his position will cost us $254K a year. i don't understand WHY this isn't pissing people off, like fluoride or GMO or all the other important impacts on our County. Best kept secret I suppose?!
thanks for the other debate though.

Re: Candidates Video Debate Evans vs. Hopkins and an appreciation of both candidates

i have never denied who i AM!! thank you very much.
i don't do Facebook, oops is that a Sin! i'm Marni Wroth. I've been a part of the Justice Coalition for Andy Lopez forever since it began. (three years ago). I've been a member of the Andy Lopez Free Speech Picket Line for 2.5 years, where we have had a constant presence in front of the Hall of (Injustice) without a break every week, every Tuesday, since the day Andy was murdered by Gelhaus.
If it were Not for the Justice Coalition there would Never have been a Task Force. If it were not for the Justice Coalition for Andy there would Never have been an "Andy's Park".
If it were not Not for Justice Coalition there would never have been Oversight brought in to look at Law Enforcement, specifically, Sheriff Freitas.
I do not have a profile, simply, cuz I Don't....don't do That Stuff...ooops is That a Sin?
now you know who I AM. thanks for asking
I wonder if slimy Gelhaus is ashamed of killing a child and slimy Freitas, and Slimy Jill Ravitch are ashamed of protecting a Killer. A deputy who was of questionable character long before he killed Andy. A bully, an "expert" who didn't know the difference between a toy and a real gun. A man who purged his website, filled with bigoted matter, after he killed Andy Lopez. If it were Not for Justice for Andy Lopez Coalition, this stuff would have been lost....it's been saved!
So, this is who i am. and i'm far from ashamed of my comments. i hold all accountable, including myself.

Shandi wrote:

People who remain anonymous or use a pseudonym so they can be sneaky and slimy without anyone knowing who they really are. I wonder if they're ashamed of their comments....

Re: 5th District Supervisor Race 2016: Noreen Evans vs Lynda Hopkins

Connie is indeed Hugh's widow, and *rumor* has it that she got a job at Codding Enterprises specifically to meet him and marry him... you can fill in the rest of the story. She is about the same age as Hugh's children, so thinking she is his daughter is an easy mistake to make.

Connie is one of the founders of "Friends of the Graton Rancheria" formed to help push that awful Graton Casino (the one located in, um, Rohnert Park) -- which Noreen Evans did precious little to prevent.

You can tell much about people, especially politicians, by the company they keep and who throws fundraising parties for them.

Re: 5th District Supervisor Race 2016: Noreen Evans vs Lynda Hopkins

David Sundstrom And John LowryDavid Sundstrom Is A Former Auditor-Controller For Sonoma County,
And John Lowry Is Former Executive Director For Burbank Housing In Santa Rosa. September 17, 2016

In her candidate statement for the November election, Noreen Evans, who is running for 5th District supervisor, has identified $2.3 billion in the Sonoma County Employees Retirement Fund as a source for financing affordable housing.

On the surface, this seems like an idea worthy of investigation. But this needs to be evaluated from the priorities of the retirement fund and its usefulness to housing. From both perspectives, the proposal seems questionable.

Looking at the pension fund and its purpose, it is important to understand that the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors doesn’t have authority to choose investments. This is the exclusive responsibility of the Sonoma County Employees Retirement Association board.

The Board of Supervisors’ authority over the Sonoma County Employees Retirement Association board is limited to appointing four of its nine members. Four voting members are elected by employees and retirees, and the county’s elected auditor-controller treasurer tax collector serves as an ex-officio voting member. The Board of Supervisors doesn’t make investment decisions. So the most that Evans could be saying is that she would suggest this direction to the retirement association board.

California law also prohibits the Sonoma County Employees Retirement Association from expending funds “for any purpose other than the expense of administration of the system, investments for the benefit of the system, and the provision of benefits to the members and retired members of the system and their survivors and beneficiaries.”

“Social investing” is specifically mentioned in the retirement association’s investment policy statement: “The board may not approve investments with less than competitive risk-adjusted expected returns in order to benefit another group of people or some project considered socially desirable.” Clearly, the Sonoma County Employees Retirement Association board wouldn’t choose to make an investment that has a lower return or greater risk when compared with other opportunities. Investment in affordable housing would need to be evaluated under these criteria.

From the standpoint of the financial resources, affordable housing can use all the help it can get, but it isn’t clear that pension fund investment is a workable option. A lack of financial resources is, in fact, the greatest constraint to the production of housing affordable to low-income people. However, low-income affordable housing is limited in the amount of debt it can service. Affordable housing, unfortunately, needs considerable subsidies, money that doesn’t have to be paid back, at least not anytime soon.

Subsidies are the largest portion of affordable housing finance and more subsidy is needed to house those with the lowest incomes. Subsidy takes the form of grants, deferred payment loans and tax credit investor equity. Pension funds wouldn’t be a subsidy source since there is little or no return on investment.

Affordable housing does borrow money for construction loans and long-term mortgages. This lending could be investigated by the county retirement association board and evaluated in relation to other investments. However, once affordable housing has received its development entitlements and secured all needed subsidies, there is no shortage of willing lenders.

Further, interest rates for construction and mortgage financing are near all-time lows. The retirement association would need to accept lower rates of return to provide any further benefit, but this would be contrary to its obligation to seek competitive risk-adjusted returns. This would ultimately result in increased county contributions to the pension fund.

While any ideas to expand the supply of affordable housing are certainly better than ignoring the issue, it seems that Evans may need to do some more homework on this one and explain how this proposal might work, given the investment priorities of the Sonoma County Employees Retirement Association and actual financial needs of affordable housing.

David Sundstrom is a former auditor-controller for Sonoma County, and John Lowry is former executive director for Burbank Housing in Santa Rosa.

Re: 5th District Supervisor Race 2016: Noreen Evans vs Lynda Hopkins

It's too bad the PD didn't bother to fact-check or check in with Noreen. she is advocating building workforce housing - you know for our teachers, police, firemen, etc. - which there is huge demand for and prices are skyrocketing. She never said to use that money for affordable housing. John Lowry should know the difference - shameful.

Re: 5th District Supervisor Race 2016: Noreen Evans vs Lynda Hopkins

photolite wrote:

Close to Home: Why Evans’ housing plan won’t work...

Typical stance for a Sacramento political hack, raid money earmarked for one thing and try to spend it on another. Interesting she would take her union backers money for this "investment". How does the union feel about this?

As I was writing this I received a phone call asking me to take a "survey". I spoke to a nice man who works for WPA Opinion Research out of New Jersey, owned by somebody named Lou Friedman. First question was who was I inclined to vote for.This "survey" made only a very slight pretense of being unbiased. Only the very slow witted could consider it legitimate. Every question was slanted toward Noreen Evans and against Lynda Hopkins. Typical question: "Of two hypothetical candidates would you support the one who has taken thousands of dollars from gravel miners or the one who is opposed to gravel mining in the river?" These kind of leading questions/statements went on for a while and finally I was asked who would I now lean toward voting for?

Even the man conducting the survey sheepishly admitted the very strong bias in the questions. The Hopkins campaign was accused of fomenting such a survey. I asked Lynda point blank if she had anything to do with it and she looked me in the eye and said no. Isn't it interesting that now Noreen's campaign is conducting such a survey? Perhaps it is the second one she has conducted?

Re: Candidates Video Debate Evans vs. Hopkins and an appreciation of both candidates

Glad that you have piped up here at last, Barry.
IMHO, It's high time for ALL who engage in conversation here at Wacco do so under their actual names.
Everyone registered without that ought to be asked to add their names or refrain from interchange.
How about leveling the playing field and making this change, Barry? Thanks, Jude

Barry wrote:

"Dick", if you are going to continue to make such aggressive posts, you are going to need to supply your real name and a headshot and take responsibility for your comments. You've listed "Dick Fritter" as your "real name". That sure seems like a "nom de plume" (pen name) to me.

So are you willing to step up and take responsibility for your comments, like Jonathan does? (I didn't think so.)

Re: 5th District Supervisor Race 2016: Noreen Evans vs Lynda Hopkins

Marty,

You should read Noreen's comments in the Sonoma County Gazette, "Why not put these public employee pension assets to work for all of us, building housing affordable to our working families?" Using pension funds to build affordable housing is a non-starter and as I mentioned before is borderline demagoguery, and among the many reasons Noreen doesn't begin to have a clue on how to create affordable housing. She parrot's Ernie Carpenter's bias against second dwelling units (causes growth---yea right, while our rural communities are losing population), saying at the Sebastopol candidates forum, "nobody wants to raise a family in crappy one bedroom apartments." HELLO, what about the 60% of American households that are now one or two persons? Most of us can't afford to live by ourselves in large houses rented in Sebastopol.

On the other hand Lynda Hopkins is spot on agreeing with 100% of state legislators that "Junior Second Dwelling Units" (www.lilypadhomes.org) are a great way to provide inexpensive housing...Noreen would continue the $30-50,000 in fees we presently charge a homeowner to repurpose an empty bedroom. That's why John Lowery (former director of Burbank Housing) is part of the Op-ed piece in the PD. John will tell you there are 35,000 empty bedrooms in Sonoma County and there is no justification for all these fees.

Sonoma County is grappling with affordable housing and individual cities are trying to find solutions. Unincorporated areas are under different zoning restrictions from cities. Proposals for group housing solutions, tiny house villages, and SDUs (Secondary Dwelling Units) are being considered in both cities and unincorporated areas. Waste disposal solutions are different in sewer districts from rural areas with septic and on-site waste disposal systems. 5th District is largely rural. Do you see solutions that work for cities being used in rural areas?

Noreen Evans
During the past 20 years, all of the economic gains have gone to the wealthiest 1% in our county while the rest of us have seen our incomes drop and the cost of living skyrocket. We need a Supervisor who puts the needs of working families first.

Affordable housing is one of my highest priorities.

Sonoma County manages $2.3 billion (yes, billion with a “B”) in public employee pension assets. State and federal laws require these assets to be invested to earn income. Why not put these public employee pension assets to work for all of us, building housing affordable to our working families? Pension assets can be invested to build housing which will provide a consistent income stream to the pension funds and will provide places for our working people to live. In today’s housing market, building even modest homes is an excellent investment.

This proposal will benefit taxpayers, working families, and our public employees. it’s taxpayer money--let’s put it to work for our local communities.

Second dwelling units have been around from time immemorial and are an important part of our housing needs. But, they will not solve our housing crisis. When is the last time you heard young parents dream about raising their children in an apartment above someone’s garage? Or in someone’s spare bedroom? Second units often end up as Airbnb’s or vacation rentals. They are not places to raise growing families. If we consider reducing fees to encourage building second units, we should also restrict these units from being used as vacation rentals.

Our community has an urgent need for real housing for the people who live here. We need real world solutions and a Supervisor who can deliver them.

I not only have ideas and solutions to this housing affordability crisis, but I have decades of practical experience in policy-making and consensus-building. I can’t wait to get to begin fixing some of these big picture issues facing Sonoma County residents. Let’s get to work!

Lynda Hopkins

We’re in the midst of an unprecedented affordable housing and homelessness crisis: the result of decades of failed housing policies. In the past week, I’ve spoken with a number of newly homeless residents. Today, the faces of homelessness are those of working people priced out of their homes. They are single parents living out of their cars. Families encamped along the river. Pregnant women, suddenly evicted. Middle-aged residents who’ve held jobs their entire lives, only to find themselves waking up on a mat on the floor of a homeless shelter to rise and head to work.

We must treat this situation like the emergency that it is. Business-as-usual policies are not adequate. Cities and unincorporated areas must work together to come up with a systems-wide plan to address this emergency immediately, short-term, and long-term.

I have researched and sought out innovative solutions, and will work with the community to select and enact appropriate strategies. We should consider junior second units (pioneered by Marin); incentivized, financed, pre-approved-design granny units (Santa Cruz); tiny houses as ADUs (Portland); laneway housing (Vancouver); and housing trusts (Silicon Valley).

We can also consider new solutions, such as changing our development impact fee structure to a per-square-foot basis -- which would essentially tax McMansions to subsidize the development of small efficiency units.

While urban and rural solutions will have different approaches, there may be commonalities, such as repurposing existing buildings into single room occupancy dwellings. We should consider permitting self-contained mobile units -- tiny homes -- that require no development, leave no footprint, and can be towed away from the property at any time. (Creating a truly no-impact tiny house would necessitate the legalization of composting toilets, and low-cost permitting of greywater systems. Water use/potential groundwater drawdown would still need to be considered.) Let’s work together and take action.

scamperwillow wrote:

It's too bad the PD didn't bother to fact-check or check in with Noreen. she is advocating building workforce housing - you know for our teachers, police, firemen, etc. - which there is huge demand for and prices are skyrocketing. She never said to use that money for affordable housing. John Lowry should know the difference - shameful.

Re: 5th District Supervisor Race 2016: Noreen Evans vs Lynda Hopkins

I attended Lynda Hopkins' "Town Hall" at the Grange last Wednesday. I liked much of what I heard. (Lynda sounds progressive.)

Here's my take-away: Beginners should start at the beginning.

In their campaigns for Fifth District Supervisor both Noreen Evans and Lynda Hopkins talk about issues in ways that appeal to West County voters.

Careful voters can choose between them by considering their endorsements and examining their records.

Noreen Evans is endorsed by trusted environmental groups like the Sierra Club and Sonoma County Conservation Action. Progressive individuals and groups, like Sebastopol Tomorrow, support Noreen. They know she’ll protect our coast, river, forests, workers, and economy.

Noreen is an experienced and seasoned Sonoma County politician with a proven record. She has effectively protected the environment and supported working people in Sonoma County for decades.

By contrast, Lynda Hopkins is backed by development advocacy groups like Sonoma County Farm Bureau, Sonoma County Alliance, Northern California Engineering Contractors Association, and the Press Democrat. Chamber-friendly officials endorse Lynda. She asks voters to believe that she will be independent of those who’ve supported and funded her campaign.

Lynda Hopkins has no record. She is a beginner—an unproven, newly-minted politician in her first campaignfor the most important political position in Sonoma County.

A beginner should start at the beginning. There are scads of less-critical political posts where Lynda could serve our community and prove her mettle.

Fifth District Supervisor is by far the most important political job in West County. It is the wrong place for a beginner to launch a political career.

Re: 5th District Supervisor Race 2016: Noreen Evans vs Lynda Hopkins

I want to echo what Dan says below about the Grange gathering. I also attended Lynda's Town Hall. I was impressed by how democratic, vibrant, diverse, and inclusive it was. Lynda's answers to questions from the floor were excellent and in line with my progressive values. She also managed a difficult person well.

I am glad that the early personal attacks on her seem to have somewhat subsided and people are speaking more about issues, rather than personalities, and the importance of experience, which Noreen has. I have endorsed Noreen, and I hope that Lynda continues to be in active in politics, rather than being demonized. Though it has been difficult for her at times, I hope that she has learned a lot by this "baptism by fire" and continues to be politically active.

I hope to see many of you readers back at the Grange on 9/28 for our Seb. City Council candidates forum. We expect a full house and may have to turn people away, as we did for the KOWS/PRSC 5th District candidates forum. I will be opening the gate at 5 p.m., so people can secure a seat for the program that starts at 6:30. People from all candidates and elections are free to leaflet outside the door to the hall and talk to people inside both before and after the speaking part.

Dan Gurney wrote:

I attended Lynda Hopkins' "Town Hall" at the Grange last Wednesday. I liked much of what I heard. (Lynda sounds progressive.)